Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

This is the kind of story you need when it seems like the world is spiraling out of control. Not many people get a picture of this proud bird snuggled up next to them!Freedom and JeffFreedom and I have been together 11 years this summer. She came in as a baby in 1998 with two broken wings. Her left wing doesn’t open all the way even after surgery, it was broken in 4 places. She’s my baby.
When Freedom came in, she could not stand and both wings were broken. She was emaciated and covered in lice.. We made the decision to give her a chance at life, so I took her to the vet’s office. From then on, I was always around her.
We had her in a huge dog carrier with the top off, and it was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to lay in. I used to sit and talk to her, urging her to live, to fight; and she would lay there looking at me with those big brown eyes. We also had to tube feed her for weeks.
This went on for 4-6 weeks, and by then she still couldn’t stand. It got to the point where the decision was made to euthanize her if she couldn’t stand in a week.
You know you don’t want to cross that line between torture and rehab, and it looked like death
She was going to be put down that Friday, and I was supposed to come in on that Thursday afternoon.. I didn’t want to go to the center that Thursday, because I couldn’t bear the thought of her being euthanized; but I went anyway, and when I walked in everyone was grinning from ear to ear.
I went immediately back to her cage; and there she was, standing on her own, a big beautiful eagle. She was ready to live. I was just about in tears by then. That was a very good day. We knew she could never fly, so the director asked me to glove train her.
I got her used to the glove, and then to jesses, and we started doing education programs for schools in western Washington.
We wound up in the newspapers, radio (believe it or not) and some TV. Miracle Pets even did a show about us.
In the spring of 2000, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I had stage 3, which is not good (one major organ plus everywhere), so I wound up doing 8 months of chemo. Lost the hair – the whole bit. I missed a lot of work.
When I felt good enough, I would go to Sarvey and take Freedom out for walks. Freedom would also come to me in my dreams and help me fight the cancer. This happened time and time again.
Fast forward to November 2000. The day after Thanksgiving, I went in for my last checkup. I was told that if the cancer was not all gone after 8 rounds of chemo, then my last option was a stem cell transplant.
Anyway, they did the tests; and I had to come back Monday for the results. I went in Monday, and I was told that all the cancer was gone.
So the first thing I did was get up to Sarvey and take the big girl out for a walk. It was misty and cold. I went to her flight and jessed her up, and we went out front to the top of the hill.
I hadn’t said a word to Freedom, but somehow she knew. She looked at me and wrapped both her wings around me to where I could feel them pressing in on my back (I was engulfed in eagle wings), and she touched my nose with her beak and stared into my eyes, and we just stood there like that for I don’t know how long.
That was a magic moment.. We have been soul mates ever since we came in. This is a very special bird.
On a side note: I have had people who were sick come up to us when we are out, and Freedom has some kind of hold on them
I once had a guy who was terminal come up to us and I let him hold her. His knees just about buckled and he swore he could feel her power course through his body. I have so many stories like that.
I never forget the honor I have of being so close to such a magnificent spirit as Freedom!! Hope you enjoyed this!

These Couples Say Yes

Harold and Lois Greene still get around pretty well, considering he’s 92 years old and she’s 86. Harold sometimes needs a cane to walk and Lois’s hands shake a bit from Parkinson’s disease. The couple stays active, though, thanks to moving into a senior living community in Arizona about eight months ago.

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How to help a person that has developed hidden depression – If you notice that one of your loved ones or someone close to you has developed one or more of the symptoms that we mentioned here, the best solution is to talk to them first and offer help, try to talk about the things that are bothering them and remove the masks. In such a conversation it is important not to try to minimize the value of the person’s problems or joke about them in order to ease the situation, but take them seriously – try to genuinely help them, by really touching on the problems they’re dealing with and not with empty words like “cheer up,” “just relax,” or “stop acting like that.” In any case, if the person in front of you refuses to talk, don’t try to force them, but keep an eye on their behavior. Be attentive, and let the person dealing with the problem feel that you are here for them. From BabaMail

Diets and food plans can be hard to stick to, and will not necessarily result in any long-term success. This is because people tend to slip back into their old habits very quickly, despite their best of intentions. The inevitable byproduct of these failures is feeling disheartened or demoralized, but healthy eating doesn’t need to be this way. Here are the 10 healthiest eating habits you can adopt (and stick to):

1. Stay Away From Processed Food

2. Make the Switch to Whole Grains

3. Use Healthy Cooking Methods

4. Watch Your Portion Sizes5. Be Aware of Healthy Options when you’re Eating Out – includes: Set aside half the dish and ask for it in a takeaway container.

6. Keep a Food Diary

7. Eat Healthily at Social Events8. Plan Your Healthy Shopping9. You Can Have a Treat – Occasionally10. Drink Lots of Water

The public is invited to participate in Aging Partners’ “Feeling Fit” classes from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Fridays throughout February in the lower level of the Downtown Senior Center, 1005 “O” Street. All classes are free and open to the public, and no registration is required. Four different types of classes will be offered:

February 9 – Chair Tai Chi: This class is based on the modified Tai Chi – Moving for Better Balance 8 Form program. Participants are taught simple movements they can practice while sitting or standing near a chair.

February 16 – Chair Yoga: Poses are done while sitting or with a chair used for support during standing and balance poses. Emphasis will be on breathing, balance and going at your own pace. This class is suitable for all ages, fitness levels and physical conditions, and beginners are welcome.

February 23 – Chair Dance: This class is ideal for people with arthritis or limited mobility because of knee or hip issues. This fun and upbeat class focuses on a unique combination of exercises and dance steps that isolate muscle groups and enhance flexibility.

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Gargling is an easy and remarkably effective way to kill germs and ease the pain of a sore throat. Therefore, the next time you are looking to relieve throat pain, try one of these trusted home gargles.

8 Questions That’ll Help Calm You When You’re Anxious

Worries and stressful thoughts attack each of us by surprise, and it is not easy for everyone to deal with them; they can paralyze us and prevent us from acting, which in most cases leads us to an even worse situation than we feared. However, there are a number of psychologists recommended questions that you can ask yourself in the event of worry whose answers will help to reassure you. So the next time you are too stressed out about something, try asking yourself the following 8 questions, answer them honestly and let the answers you think of come free you and relax your worries.

4. “Am I worrying just to worry?

7. “Why do I feel so anxious?”

8. “What is the story I create for myself?”

It is much easier to talk about these tips than to do them because anxiety can be a hugely destructive force, but if you are willing to challenge your thoughts and ask the right questions, you may be able to see things differently and calm yourself. This is what experts recommend, and it will help you deal with worrying situations in a more positive and beneficial way than giving in to your fears and anxiety.